Many, many years later, my first date sent me a message on facebook.
"Wow", it read, "what a blast from the past. Bet you don't even remember me. Worked at XXXX in 1990." (I don't feel it's too much of a liberty posting this word-for-word as she's since deleted that facebook account so the message only exists in my old message store.)
I sent back a quick reply that I hoped she was doing OK and never heard from her again.
Not that I really wanted to, as by this point I had already met the love of my life and settled down into the blissful harmony we... cough, cough, cough. Well, me and The Other Half had got together, anyway.
The irony of all this - beyond the fact that she (apparently) didn't even remember our brief connection* - is that my first first date had the same first name as my last first date. It seemed I was destined to end up getting together with a Louise... just not that one. In the long run, everything worked out for the best.
There has never been a more appropriate time to play this - the GREATEST "SONG" about getting dumped by your first love EVER WRITTEN.
32. Billy Bragg (with Johnny Marr on guitar) - Walk Away, Renee (Version)
But our love is strange
And you have to take the crunchy with the smooth, I suppose
She began going out with Mr Potato Head
It was when I saw her in the car park
With his coat around her shoulders that I realised
I went home and thought about the two of them together
Until the bath water went cold around me
And you have to take the crunchy with the smooth, I suppose
She began going out with Mr Potato Head
It was when I saw her in the car park
With his coat around her shoulders that I realised
I went home and thought about the two of them together
Until the bath water went cold around me
*Or did she? Was that message the equivalent of a late night drunk dial to an ex at a moment when she was feeling particularly dissatisfied with her current agenda? I'll never know. Not that it matters.
And then one day it happened
She cut her hair and I stopped loving her
She cut her hair and I stopped loving her
A fine ending to this tale, and yes it seems you were destined to end up with a Louise, but this time the right one.
ReplyDeleteScary that nowadays with Facebook etc. we can be contacted years on by people who might have scarred us for life but they are none the wiser. Used to also do a bit of stalking in the early days of FB but now just too terrified they might work out somehow that I've done that so leaving the past in the past and glad to hear you have too.
Happy Easter - Going to any parks this year where they might be leaving cakes out in the rain?
Meant to say also, a fine song by Mr Bragg. "Mr Pototo Head" - love it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't appreciate Billy Bragg's "Walk Away, Renee (Version)" until I saw him live. That song, along with "Levi Stubbs' Tears", still chokes me up.
ReplyDeleteI put Levi Stubbs Tears on the jukebox whilst out with someone the other day and couldn't help myself from pointing out the utter poignancy of the lyrics
DeleteLovely posts Rol - and ending with Billy's Walk Away, Renee - beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of that date appears to have been like night and day for each of you. Glad it all worked out in the end with the other Louise.
ReplyDeletePerfect end, perfect song.
ReplyDelete